The Contingency Plan
by TayMor
Summary: He had a plan. He would come back, find her, seduce her, and they would be together. Sasuke reaches part 2 of this plan before he realizes that the target is in love with another man, namely his best friend Naruto. Enter the Contingency Plan. AU.
1. Return to Konoha

**AN: Hinata is a little OOC, but you should hopefully understand why. If you want a completely canon character, look somewhere else. (^_^)! Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 1: Step 1 - Return To Konoha**

Sasuke moved through the crowded Ichiraku bar, scowling playfully at Naruto as the blonde flung his arm over his shoulders. Sasuke generally hated crowds, but he hadn't been in Ichiraku's for years so it was worth it. Naruto grinned over the loud music, blue eyes sparkling happily.

"Hehe, I can't wait for you to meet everyone! They're gonna love you!"

"Hn, like I'm worried about that dobe," Sasuke smirked, he really couldn't care less about anyone else's opinion of him...well apart from a certain Hyuuga female, she was the reason why he had moved back to Konoha in the first place.

"Yeah, yeah whatever," Naruto grinned good naturedly and dragged Sasuke over to a table at the back of the bar. "Oi! This is my best friend Uchiha Sasuke! We went to highschool together in Otogakure, he used to live in Konoha actually but he moved and he's back now!"

"Hn," Sasuke grunted, nodding his head slightly to the others seated around the table. He could hardly concentrate on Naruto's introductions as he searched the table for a familiar short haired Hyuuga. He didn't see her; had she decided not to attend because he was coming? Did she even remember him? Sasuke was pulled out of his frantic musings when Naruto shook him by the shoulder slightly.

"Oi teme! I was talking to you! This here is Nara Shikamaru," Naruto gestured to a sleepy looking make at the end of the right side of the table.

"Mendokusai," Shikamaru drawled, raising two fingers in greeting and pointing them in Sasuke's direction.

"Hn," Sasuke offered, his eyes still scanning the crowd of young adults for his the familiar face of his childhood friend. He'd come back here just for her. He was old enough, skilled enough, good looking enough now to catch her attention. He had nothing to fear this time around; not like when he was nine... or ten... or eleven. He'd gone away, seen the world, matured, and now he was sure he could get her to return his feelings. He'd kept them for so long, only _experimenting_ with other females so that he wouldn't be a bumbling idiot in front of her. Sasuke blinked as Naruto nudged his shoulder, reluctantly tuning back into whatever it was that the blonde was saying.

"- and this is Haruno Sakura, Ino Yamanaka, Akimichi Chouji, Aburame Shino, Inuzuka Kiba, Hyuuga Neji-" Naruto continued and Sasuke's head whipped around at the mention of a Hyuuga but unfortunately it wasn't Hinata but her cousin Neji.

He hated Neji.

The bastard had always been extremely overprotective of Hinata, she had been quiet when they were kids but she would stand up for herself if the situation required her to do so. After everyone gave the customary 'Hello's and 'Nice to meet you's, along with a few appreciative glances from Ino and Sakura, Naruto plopped down in an empty seat and was about to say something when his gaze switched to somewhere behind Sasuke, who was still standing with a slight scowl on his face.

"Oi Hinata-chan! You came back just in time to meet my friend," Naruto grinned, waving his hand across the table in Sasuke direction. "This is Uchiha Sasuke."

Sasuke felt his breath catch in his throat as he turned to look at Hinata.

She was nothing like he remembered and far from anything he could have dreamed of.

Her hair was no longer short like he'd remembered. She'd grown it out, the long dark strands now reaching the small of her back. As she approached, she slid one slim elegant hand to the back of her neck, gathered her hair in one, and then sent the strands sliding like a glossy black curtain over her shoulder.

Sasuke's mouth went dry.

She seemed oblivious to his presence, and Sasuke took the opportunity to scan her. Her hair was not the only thing about her that was different. Her chest was different too, and Sasuke felt heat warm the back of his neck as his eyes dropped to the cleavage her white bandage dress exposed.

_Damn._

As his eyes drifted lower, Sasuke took in the curve of her hips and the way the dress hugged her thighs. He hoped that his calm facade was secure, because right now he had no idea whether it was on his face or at his ankles. And then his gaze slid to her legs.

Oh, holy mother of-

Sasuke had seen a lot of legs. He was a bit of a leg man, if he was to be honest. Hinata's legs were arguably the best legs he'd seen in a _long_ time. Her calves were perfectly curved, and her skin was creamy, smooth - she'd obviously waxed them - and had a healthy, moisturized sheen to them. Sasuke was _incredibly _tempted to touch.

He could just imagine stroking those legs and-

"S-Sasuke-san is that really you?" Hinata gasped out, covering her mouth with a delicate and well manicured hand.

"In the flesh," Sasuke said, sounding shorter than he meant to from the effort of trying to hide how Hinata's new appearance made him feel. The Uchiha swallowed harshly and forced himself to focus on the chatter of the others around him. He felt slightly dizzy, his mind still reeling from the sight of Hinata.

Her voice was different too, but in a good way. It was quiet, like he remembered but held a slightly sensuous_ something _that definitely had not been there before. Sasuke felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up when she moved closer and her delicious flowery scent wafted across his nostrils. He forced himself to focus on her words but ended up staring at her plump pink lips.

She wasn't supposed to have so acute an effect on him. He didn't know what he had been expecting but it certainly was far from the reality. He quickly noticed the way the other males in the bar eyed her, nudging one another as they conversed among themselves. Sasuke clenched his fists, wishing he could just... knock them out or something. It was juvenile, but Hinata was his. He settled for sending them one of his darkest glares and smirked to himself when they quickly turned away.

Got that right, the bastards. They had no place looking at _her _like _that. _

Sasuke's attention jerked back to Hinata when he noticed her looking up at him expectantly and cleared her throat softly. Well at least some things never changed - she was still shorter than him, even with those heels on. Those heels that made her calves look so much more-

"You were saying?" Sasuke said, the words coming out shorter than he'd intended as he attempted to cut off his train of thoughts.

She was about to answer when Naruto, apparently already bored by the reunion, stood and slid an arm over Hinata's shoulders. It was a blatantly friendly gesture... but Hinata flushed deep red and her words seemed to die somewhere in her throat... and that in turn made Sasuke tense.

What was going on?

"Ne, Hinata-chan... what d'you want to drink?" Naruto asked, his face close to hers since she was tucked under his arm. Sasuke struggled to tamp down the urge to... to just push Naruto off her.

"I'll take her to the bar," he found himself saying before he grabbed her wrist and tugged her through the throngs of people. About halfway across the distance, Sasuke pulled Hinata in front him with the intention of keeping her in his sight.

And that was when he saw the back of her dress.

Damn.

From the nape of her neck to the small of her back was exposed, showing off the creamy, smooth skin there and framed at the sides by the white of her dress. At the centre of the dress, a zipper held the two sides together, and trailed right down, hugging her round ass and ending midway down the skirt of the dress.

Sasuke wasn't sure what he wanted to touch more - her back, or her rear end, which looked so _perfect _under the tight white material. The infuriating thing was that she didn't even have the decency to look skanky so he could find something to complain about in his mind. No, the dress was sheer class... it was just that her body was ridiculously sexy.

And Sasuke was having a hard time refraining from pulling down that tease of a zipper and seeing-

He pushed her almost roughly to the bar, scowling at how easily his thoughts had gone _there. _

"Sasuke-san... what..?" Hinata stumbled, looking up at him in confusion.

"What was that back there?" Sasuke snapped. "You were flailing around like an idiot," he said, knowing he sounded rude but too being too annoyed to care.

"What? Sasuke what are you-"

"Since when are you two _best friends?" _Sasuke interrupted, waving the bartender over with an impatient wave of his hand. "One Strawberry Daiquiri and a Bloody Mary," Sasuke ordered blandly when the man approached.

"What? We aren't..." Hinata attempted.

"And you speak to me fine, but the moment _he_ approaches you're all..." Sasuke stopped speaking when he noticed her eyes darkening with annoyance. Well.

"What the hell, Sasuke-san? You just come back and expect me to-"

"Hn. So I'm _Sasuke-san_ now, and not _Sasuke-kun_?" he murmured, interrupting her again. He watched her face go red with... something.

"Well, what do you expect? You've been gone for _so _long it's like I don't even know you!"

One of Sasuke's eyebrows rose. Incredibly slowly.

* * *

Hinata felt her cheeks flush with annoyance. What was with Sasuke? Yes he had been away for a long time and she had expected him to change but this...this was...she didn't even know what it was! Did expect to just march back into Konoha and have her talking to him like she'd just seen him yesterday? He even went as far as to accuse her of being _best_ friends with Naruto...the blonde wasn't even looking at her more often than not.

Hinata gritted her teeth when she noticed Sasuke raising one brow skeptically, he was managing to do what almost no one else could. He was getting under skin. Where had the sweet tomato loving boy gone? Sure he was now a man...she couldn't deny that but even so...

"I didn't have a choice. My parents died," Sasuke snapped testily, drawing closer to Hinata.

"That was not what I was referring to!" Hinata hissed, her face flushing with a rush of emotion.

"Hn," Sasuke grunted, but carried the air of expectancy, like he wanted her to explain herself. The mere fact that he didn't find it necessary to voice his desires just... just _pissed Hinata off. _

What was it about this man that got under her skin so?

What was even more annoying that the man himself, was that Hinata actually found herself compelled to attempt to explain herself! She would have done it normally, to any other person, but she didn't _want _to explain herself to _him_... and yet she couldn't help herself.

"I meant..." What _had _she meant? "Ugh!" Hinata snapped, grabbing her drink off the counter of the bar and stalking off towards the group.

"What? So you're pissed off at me because my parents died?" Sasuke muttered behind her, his body so close to hers that she could feel his warmth at her back. She wished she hadn't worn this stupid dress... this stupid dress that exposed so much of her back.

"What? No, of course not! How could you...I am not even angry!" Hinata snapped, her voice raising several pitches. He hadn't even been back for two days and he was already getting reactions out of her that she didn't even know she had. Hinata knew that she was a mostly docile person so for her to feel so frustrated was rather new.

"Hn," Sasuke grunted but didn't attempt to distance the space between his body and her back.

"What are you trying to get at, Sasuke?" Hinata asked suspiciously and the Uchiha shrugged nonchalantly.

"What do you mean? Can I not greet an old friend?" he asked, a small smirk tugging on his lips. Hinata felt like smashing her head against the nearest table. Why was he re-directing all of her questions? What had happened to him in the last ten years to turn him so...so insufferable!

"Thats not...I...you know what I mean!"

"Hn. Obviously not if I have to ask," he drawled, leaning forward slightly causing his chest to brush Hinata's back... and causing his breath to ghost over the side of her cheek. Damn him for having minty fresh breath...

Hinata shook her head slightly, trying to gather her bearings but it was hard not to be distracted by the feeling of Sasuke's breath on her bare skin, not to mention he was towering over her.

"Just...never mind," she groaned defeatedly and was saved from having to hear his reply when Naruto approached them looking slightly impatient.

"What took you guys so long?" Naruto groaned then turned to Hinata.

"Sasuke-teme wasn't bothering you was he Hina-chan?" he asked cheekily, his blue eyes sparkling mischievously.

"A-Ano...n-no he wasn't...w-we were just," Hinata stuttered, her cheeks reddening as her gaze moved to her feet.

"Hn." At the sound, she slid a glance to Sasuke, about to beg him for help with her eyes, but then her shyness switched over to annoyance once again.

He was staring at her... with zero expression in his eyes apart from a knowing little twist of his lips. Like he was just _watching _her fail. And enjoying it.

"Well, that's good then, ne?" Naruto moved on cheerfully, and Hinata was certain she heard Sasuke _chuckle. _So he thought her shyness was _funny? _She turned to glare at him, but instead of... whatever expression she had expected, he _smirked. _Damn him.

She was never like this! This angry and annoyed and... and she didn't like it!

They headed back to the table and much to Hinata's chagrin Sasuke sat right next to her, and didn't have the decency to leave a comfortable about of space in between their chairs.

No, he had to sit _so _close to her that his thighs were brushing against hers, and, just as she was about to move away, he spoke. And ruined it all.

"It's pleasing to be around _some_ old friends again," Sasuke said, sliding one arm over her shoulder just as Naruto had done earlier. To Hinata's horror, everyone around the table nodded and smiled in understanding.

"I remember when she used to sit behind the big oak tree at my house and nibble on her hair while she waited for me to get outside," Sasuke said, his deep voice... totally pissing Hinata off! What the hell?

"Do you still do that, _Hinata-chan?" _Sasuke asked, turning his face, and the attention of everyone at the table, to her.

"Uh..." Hinata sputtered.

"Is it true Hina-chan?!" Naruto asked amusedly then erupted into fits of raucous laughter and soon everyone else joined in, although with noticeably less gusto than the blonde.

"E-Eto... I d-don't... I-I mean..." Hinata stammered, faced with Naruto's sparkling blue eyes. Kami, he was gorgeous... and now he was laughing at her, thanks so stupid Sasuke.

"Hmm, no I don't suppose you do that anymore..." Sasuke muttered, but loud enough for everyone to hear. "You've changed," he continued, his voice softening as he spoke, the potential _meaning _behind his words stifling the humor around the table. Everyone looked at her again, but this time in blatant appreciation. Even Naruto.

Still, Hinata couldn't let Sasuke's words just slide.

"Do _you_ still freak out if you don't have a tomato daily?"

"No, because I always have one," he smirked in reply and took a sip of his Bloody Mary as if to prove his point.

"Right," Hinata sighed and turned away from the Uchiha, trying to ignore the feel of his arm tightening around her shoulders.

* * *

Sasuke clenched his jaw as he watched Hinata stutter pathetically in an attempt to reply to something Naruto had asked her. He hated how she was reduced to a flustered blushing mess around the blonde. No matter how he tried to get a rise out of her he couldn't get the same or even a slightly similar reaction from her. What did she see in the dobe anyway?

Aside from how affable, cheerful and outgoing Naruto was, the blonde had the attention span of a peanut and questionable mental faculties. He was the typical jock, without the douchiness.

The sound of Hinata's laughter tinkled sweetly at some joke Naruto was attempting to give and Sasuke frowned. He hadn't heard her laugh like that in years...the last time he did was when they were kids and she'd accidentally fallen on him and he had taken the opportunity to tickle her mercilessly.

Sasuke noticed, too, that she was sweet and shy around everyone else. But when she was with him, she had _fire. _And he fully intended to turn it into a raging inferno. He'd make her burn for him. He'd just continue to get a rise out of her until she burned the way he did. If she had treated him the same way that she did others, he would have felt a bit defeated, but no.

All he needed was to alter his original plan.

All he needed was a _contingency plan._

The Uchiha's stomach suddenly felt queasy when Naruto leaned forward and placed his hand over Hinata's.

"Ya wanna go now, Hinata-chan?" the blonde asked, grinning kindly. "This whole reunion thing is kinda getting boring already."

"U-Um... I-I... I g-guess I..." Hinata stuttered. Sasuke ground his teeth together.

"Don't bother," he said to Naruto, seeing an opportunity. He tugged Hinata's hand from the blonde's by her wrist.

"She's coming with me."

**AN: Just an idea that I had, read and review please! AND GIVE TAY CREDIT BECAUSE SHE IS AN AWESOME BETA OKAY?! :D**

**Tay: KYAAA I LOVE YOU SHIORRA, OKAY! *and you too guys.. hehe, so please review so we don't get discouraged! Even if it's just a word... but no flamessss***

**(^_^)**


	2. Become a Part Of Her Life

**To the guest who commented on the last chapter saying "****Kun is not an endearing term at all. So her using it with Naruto means they are not very well-aquainted, not that she loves him.", please check the Japanese Honorifics section in Wikipedia, which will tell you under the subject of 'Kun' that: It can also be used by females when addressing a male that they are emotionally attached to or have known for a long period of time.**

**(^_^) That said, I added -san to Sasuke's name to emphasize the difference in the way Hinata spoke to him. So thank you for pointing that out anyway!**

**To everyone who reviewed, thank you so very much!**

**Chapter 2: Step 2 - Become a Part Of Her Life**

"Don't bother," he said to Naruto, seeing an opportunity. He tugged Hinata's hand from the blonde's by her wrist.

"She's coming with me."

"Okaaay..." Naruto blinked confusedly at Sasuke's sudden suggestion. "I guess it won't be a problem if Hinata doesn't mind," the blonde continued, blue eyes switching from Sasuke's face to Hinata shocked one.

"She doesn't," Sasuke bit out then turned and stalked out of the bar, his hand wrapped securely around Hinata's wrist. No one was going to take her away from him. And definitely not Naruto.

* * *

Hinata yanked her wrist from Sasuke's grasp. She couldn't believe his nerve! ordering her around like she was some...some...pet!

"What do you mean I am coming with you?" Hinata asked heatedly as they stepped through the front doors of the bar and into the parking lot.

"I live next to you," Sasuke smirked smugly and Hinata felt like face palming.

"Oh..." she trailed, feeling slightly deflated but she still didn't like the way he had gone about it. He could have explained that to her before grabbing her wrist and hauling her out of the bar. "Why didn't you say so before?"

"There was no need to," Sasuke said stubbornly, refusing to admit that he'd acted on the spur of the moment because she had been paying attention to Naruto and not_ him._

"Ugh...just..never mind. So are we leaving?" Hinata bit out, feeling frustrated and confused. Why was he making her feel this way? She didn't and couldn't understand.

"This way," the Uchiha grunted, gently tugging Hinata towards the space where he'd parked his car.

* * *

An awkward silence filled the car as they drove along the highway to the apartment complex where Hinata, and now Sasuke, lived. Sasuke bit his lip as Hinata's scent filled his nostrils. She was so close. He wanted to...He could see exactly how pink her lips were and how soft and smooth her porcelain skin was. He was itching to lean over and run his hands down the length of her smooth exposed legs, they looked increasingly inviting. He could feel her eyes on him and forced himself to concentrate on the road, he couldn't however stop himself from wondering if she liked what she saw.

Hinata racked her brain, trying to think of something to say...anything in fact but nothing came to mind. However both she and Sasuke were saved trying to find something to converse about because the white modern design apartment came into view as they rounded the corner.

Sasuke easily maneuvered his car into his reserved parking spot and got out to open Hinata's door for her. She blinked in surprise at his gentleman-like gesture and his heart squeezed strangely. Did she despise him that much, that she thought he wouldn't do something a simple as open her door for her? Or was she comparing him to Naruto? He took a step closer towards her and leaned close to her ear.

"It was a pleasure seeing you again...Hinata," he said, well aware that his warm breath was brushing against her ear. Sasuke noticed a slight blush dust her cheeks and he smirked smugly.

"It was good to see you as well Sasuke-san...thank you for the ride," Hinata replied, licking her lips as Sasuke stepped closer. The Uchiha was close enough to press his lips to her neck and trail his hot fingers down her back but he didn't. Instead he curled his fingers into fists, turned and stalked to his front door, slamming it behind him and leaving a puzzled and frustrated Hinata behind.

Sasuke slid down to the floor, his breath coming in short bursts as he rested his back against the front door after slamming it behind him. He knew he was being rude but he couldn't stay any longer in Hinata's presence without losing his control. The night breeze had been whipping her long ebony hair around her milky skin and her arms and exposed back had been covered with slight goose bumps. He had been so close...so close to trailing his finger down her back and arms. Dammit! Sasuke groaned in frustration and shoved himself to his feet and headed to the shower. Over ten years of pent up need and feelings were not always conducive to his self-control.

* * *

Hinata watched as Sasuke stormed off into his apartment. What had she done? She had only thanked him for the drive and he acted as though she'd bitten him! Shaking her head in exasperation Hinata moved to her front door, unlocked it and entered into her comfortable home. She kicked off her heels, poured herself a glass of fine red wine and sat wearily on the sofa to reminisce about the night's events.

She was glad to see Sasuke again, how could she not be? He had been her best and only friend during her childhood but he had left after the death of his parents and hadn't looked back since. Or so she thought. Well how wrong could she be? He hadn't contacted her even once over those ten years. He had changed so much, she hardly recognized him now. She had always thought that he resembled his older brother and the thought was even more intense now that she'd seen him again.

Hinata sighed and ran her hand through her long hair, removing the pins from the side. She was glad that her old friend was back but she hardly knew him, she didn't know what he liked from what he disliked...he was like a stranger but one she'd known in the past. She couldn't figure out why he insisted on being so...so abrasive and almost possessive. Did he expect to just waltz back into her life and have her pay all of her attention to him? Hinata just could not understand. And she was sure it wasn't because he had any feelings for her...she wasn't his type anyway.

'_What does that matter? Why am I even thinking about what type of women he likes?' _Hinata thought, shook her head, set her now empty wine glass down and headed to the shower. A few minutes later Hinata exited the shower, towel wrapped around her body and her hair damp from the refreshing water. Hinata quickly dressed in her favourite black lacy thong and bra set before heading to the kitchen to make a cup of hot cocoa.

Hinata padded through her living room, mind lost in thought. Ever since Sasuke and dropped her home and he had been so close...she couldn't remove the feeling of his warm breath on her neck from her mind. A low whistle jerked Hinata back to the present and she saw Sasuke leaning against his living room window, black eyes drinking in her underwear clad frame.

"What?!" Hinata yelled frustratedly, throwing her hands up into the air. Sasuke slid his window open and leaned forward, a smug smirk on his lips.

"I didn't know you liked lace, Hyuuga-san," he smirked. Hinata blushed furiously and felt like banging her head against a wall when she stuttered in reply. But she couldn't help it...he was just looking at her so...so...dammit!

"Y-Yes I do! I-Is that a problem Uchiha-san?" Hinata said, crossing her arms, unconsciously pushing her breasts together and upwards. Sasuke grinned devilishly.

"No it isn't a problem. Far from actually, I just didn't peg you as the type to wear _that_ type of underwear."

"You don't even know me anymore Sasuke! So why would you know what type of underwear I wear? And why do you even care anyway?!" Hinata said frustratedly, momentarily forgetting that she wasn't fully clothed.

"Can't an old friend try to figure out what type of clothing his friend likes?" Sasuke asked blandly, one eyebrow raised in a decidedly mischievous way. Hinata opened her mouth to reply but she was interrupted by the sound of her phone ringing. She had never felt so grateful for her phone as she did now. Hinata picked up her phone, eyes widening when she saw the caller ID. The brunette turned her back to Sasuke, totally oblivious to the view she was giving him.

"N-Naruto-kun?" Hinata answered the phone gingerly, she could never help but feel nervous around the blonde.

"Hina-chan are you alright? I mean Sasuke kind of just took off with you and I wasn't sure..." Naruto trailed, worry evident in his voice. He was worried about her. Hinata's face heated even more.

"I'm alright Naruto-kun thank you for asking. I know Sasuke is...well complicated but he's my childhood friend and he just got back...a-and," Hinata rambled, waving her hands flustardly.

"I know. I was just making sure everything was alright," Naruto insisted, but Hinata could hear the worry in his voice lessen.

"T-Thank you-" Hinata didn't get to finish her sentence because her phone was no longer in her hands. Her head snapped up, eyes flashing in anger. Sasuke stood before her, his face dark with anger as he gripped her phone in his hands.

"I was talking to _you_!" he hissed, taking a step towards the Hyuuga heiress.

"I was aware of that! But I was on the phone!" Hinata said, her brow drawn together over her grey eyes.

"It was Naruto wasn't it? Don't you value my presence over his? I just got back..." Sasuke trailed the anger fading from his voice and he grabbed Hinata's wrist, black eyes hungrily searching her grey ones.

"Sasuke I hardly even know you anymore...and then you're being like this, I just..." Hinata's eyes lowered, she couldn't understand why Sasuke got so angry every time she spoke to Naruto.

"Then get to know me again."

Hinata swallowed the mysterious lump in her throat and stepped backwards. He was close too close. She could feel his warm breath on her neck again and she couldn't think straight.

"I-I...fine!" Hinata huffed and tugged at Sasuke's hold on her wrist, but he was not letting go.

"I made you stutter again...Hina-chan," Sasuke purred, his voice low and smooth. A shiver traveled the length of Hinata's spine and she was suddenly aware that she was still only in her underwear. A large red blush heated Hinata's face and neck and she yanked her hand from Sasuke's grip, pushing against his chest.

"Get out of my house! I'm not clothed properly! How did you even get in anyway?" she shrieked, refusing to meet the Uchiha's eyes.

"Your door was unlocked and I am not leaving, not until you promise to go out with me," Sasuke smirked and stepped behind Hinata, his chest brushing against her back. He leaned forward, feeling extremely satisfied when he noticed the blush that stained her cheeks and the goosebumps that dotted her exposed skin.

"So...what will it be, Hina-chan?" he whispered sultrily.

"I-I...ugh fine! N-Now get out!" Hinta huffed and stomped away from Sasuke to put distance between their bodies. She couldn't stand another minute with him behind her.

* * *

Sasuke watched as Hinata grew increasingly more flustered. He smirked. It seemed as though his plan was working after all, he'd gotten her to stutter for him at least two times. Sasuke's eyes trailed down Hinata's back and landed directly on her derriere. The base of his throat heated and he forced himself to avert his eyes. She was...well her butt was...he couldn't let his mind wander any longer or he'd be taking _another_ cold shower tonight. Sasuke cleared his throat and stepped back, putting some distance in between himself and Hinata.

"I'll pick you up at 7:00 pm then," He grunted, before turning to walk out the door.

"Sasuke, wait!" Hinata said and he stopped, turning to look at her over his shoulder. Hinata blushed again and bit her lower lip sheepishly.

"Don't tell anyone about...this," she said quietly, gesturing to her underwear clad frame. Sasuke smirked.

"Why would I? I would rather have the view all to myself."

**AN: Tanaaaaaaa here is the next chappie! Sorry for the wait! PLEASE FORGIVE ME AND READ AND REVIEW! *bows into the dirt***

**Oh I would love if the readers could suggest titles for the next step of Sasuke's plan! hehehe basically I will write Sasuke's plan based off of the titles you suggest! Where do you want to see the story go and Sasuke's plans go? :D Review and let me know~**


	3. Date Her

**Chapter 3: Step 3 - Date Her**

Hinata ended her phone call and hugged the phone to her chest. She couldn't believe it! Naruto had actually asked her out on a date! Hinata fanned herself, she could feel her face heating up and refused to faint. She'd outgrown that habit so many years ago. Her joy was short lived however because she realized that her date with Sasuke was back to back with Naruto's. Naruto was picking her up at 5:00 pm and Sasuke had said 7:00 pm. Damn.

"Crap. What the heck am I supposed to do?" Hinata groaned into her pillow, chewing nervously on her lip. She didn't want to turn down Naruto because she'd wanted to go on a date with him for so long. She couldn't pass up the opportunity. But then Sasuke was her old friend, and even though she hardly knew him now she still had an obligation to him.

'_I'll just have to find a way to go to both then I guess...'_ Hinata thought, her stomach filling with nervous butterflies.

* * *

Two hours later Hinata was dressed and ready for her date with Naruto and was waiting outside of her front door for the blonde to arrive. A wave of anxiety swept through the brunette and she bit her lower lip nervously. She really didn't want Sasuke to come and see her all dressed up for another date...she didn't even know why but she just didn't want it to happen. Her luck sucked.

"Why are you dressed already?" a familiar cold and slightly rough voice filled Hinata's ears. Her spine stiffened immediately and she felt like banging her head against the nearest wall. Sasuke had seen her.

Hinata squeezed her eyes shut for a moment, trying to gather her composure before turning around to face Sasuke.

"I-I'm going on a date with Naruto..." she stuttered softly, unable to meet Sasuke's eyes. Why was she feeling so guilty? it wasn't like she was in a relationship with the Uchiha! She barely knew him! Silence filled the chilly evening air and after a few seconds passed Hinata's gaze flickered upwards to meet Sasuke's. His eyes were hard and cold, sending shivers down her spine.

"Are you trying to reject me? If so you could have just told me," Sasuke hissed, his gaze dark and cold.

"What? No! I'm not, but Naruto asked me...and its the first time, you know I've always wanted to go on a date with Naruto..." Hinata trailed, biting her lower lip in a nervous habit. Sasuke sneered, leaned forward and grabbed Hinata's wrist.

"What about me? What if I had always wanted to go on a date with you?" Sasuke slowly let out a breath, smirking slightly when it brushed over the pale skin on Hinata's neck and she shivered.

"W-What are you talking about?" Hinata asked in confusion, hating how weak her voice sounded. This was Sasuke! Just Sasuke. Before the Uchiha could answer Hinata extricated herself from his grip and stepped back, putting distance between them.

"You already asked me on a date and I don't plan on backing out, but Naruto asked me too!" Hinata exclaimed, forcing her resolve to the surface, she wouldn't let Sasuke intimidate her and reduce her to a blushing mess. She didn't even know why she was blushing so much around him. Sasuke scowled and crossed his arms.

"I do not want you to go," he growled, his head turned away from Hinata so she wouldn't see the tiny blush that insisted on warming his cheeks.

"What? Why? I am old enough to take care of myself now Sasuke, I don't need you to protect me like when we were little!" Frustrated tears pricked in Hinata's eyes. She couldn't believe Sasuke was acting like...like such a controlling bastard. Had he asked her on a date just so Naruto couldn't?

"Why did you even ask me on a date?" Hinata questioned the silent Uchiha, her eyes wide with emotion. "I just want to understand why you are being like this Sasuke..." Sasuke turned to look at Hinata and the Hyuuga heiress shivered when she noticed the intense look in his dark eyes. He stepped closer.

"Naruto is an irresponsible idiot. I do not trust him with you and I don't care if you don't need protecting. I want to protect you and I always will," Sasuke hissed, his lips now inches away from Hinata's. Hinata shook her head, refusing to let Sasuke's closeness cloud her thinking.

"Y-You didn't answer my question, why did you ask me on a date?" A smirk curved the corner of Sasuke lips upwards but he was interrupted by Naruto's arrival before he could reply.

"Oi Hina-chan!" Naruto yelled from his car, which had just pulled up in the apartment complex's parking lot. Hinata immediately stepped backward from Sasuke and forced a cheerful smile and made her way over to Naruto.

"Hi Naruto-kun," she said, too distracted to even stutter. Naruto grinned at Hinata then waved at Sasuke before driving off. Hinata couldn't help but look back as the car drove off and saw Sasuke standing in the same spot his hands stuffed into the pockets of his jeans and a frown on his forehead. A small smile twitched Hinata's lips upwards.

He had said he wanted to protect her.

* * *

"-the offensive team must line up in a legal formation before they can snap the ball. An offensive formation is considered illegal if there are more than four players in the backfield or fewer than five players numbered fifty to seventy nine on the offensive- Hinata are you listening?" Naruto asked, a frown creasing his tanned brow. Hinata's head snapped up immediately from where it had been staring at her menu for the past few minutes.

"W-What? Oh, I'm sorry Naruto-kun...I was distracted," Hinata forced a tired smile, but Naruto's reply was lost on her ears. She couldn't forget what Sasuke had said about protecting her, his words kept echoing in her mind and it didn't help that Naruto kept droning on about sports instead of paying attention to her.

Hinata was thankful when the food arrived, which was ramen of course and Naruto stopped talking in order to slurp down his food at a rather alarming speed.

"Hinata are you okay? You're even quieter than usual..." Naruto trailed, worry evident in his blue eyes. Guilt stabbed at Hinata's heart and she began to feel extremely bad that she had been thinking about Sasuke while on a date with Naruto. She hadn't even been really trying to make much conversation.

"Ano...I'm sorry, Naruto-kun...I just, I feel out of sorts this evening," Hinata found herself saying before she even knew what had happened. But she definitely did not want Naruto to find out that she'd been distracted because of Sasuke.

"Its alright," Naruto grinned, then winked at Hinata, reducing her to blushes. "But you have to let me do this," his grinned widened and he leaned forward, taking Hinata's hand in his and placing a kiss on the corner of her lips.

Hinata's breath caught in her throat and for a moment she couldn't remember how to breathe. She forced herself to concentrate on the beating of her heart so she wouldn't lose consciousness, she wasn't about to make a fool of herself. She was no longer ten, so fainting was out of the question. Hinata could feel Naruto's lips lingering on the corner of her mouth in a silent gesture of patience. He was waiting for her to give him permission to enter.

Hinata's face reddened further when she realized just what was happening and butterflies filled her stomach, but she still hesitated, unable to move forward. She had always dreamed of this scenario, in which Naruto was kissing her and she would kiss him back. But now that she was actually in the scenario, she felt hesitant.

It wasn't that she didn't want to kiss the blonde, because she did and a lot,too ...but. Hinata refused to let herself finish the thought and opened her mouth, allowing Naruto's tongue to slide in, his hand automatically coming up to cup the back of her head. Just as he moved to deepen the kiss Sasuke's voice echoed in Hinata's head and all of a sudden she could feel the warmth of his chest on her back and his breath on her neck. She immediately pushed Naruto away, stepping back and gasping for breath.

'_What is wrong with me?! Why am I thinking about Sasuke?! Naruto is kissing me dammit! Kissing me!' _Hinata thought, feeling extremely angry at herself and Sasuke for ruining what should have been the perfect moment. Naruto placed his hands on Hinata's shoulders, hurt clouding his blue eyes.

"What's wrong Hina-chan? I thought...I thought you wanted this?" Naruto asked in confusion. Hinata's heart twisted guiltily and she couldn't bring herself to look at Naruto and see the hurt in his face. It wasn't that she had been leading him on the whole time but thoughts of Sasuke refused to leave her alone.

"I-I'm sorry Naruto-kun...I just, I'm not...I think I'm ready, I don't feel so well..." Hinata turned her head away, not wanting to see Naruto's reaction. The blonde sighed sadly and got up from the table.

"Okay...whatever you want I guess," Naruto shrugged before going to pay for the food.

* * *

A heavy silence settled in the car as they pulled out of the restaurant parking lot and onto the road. Hinata could feel Naruto's eyes on her as he periodically glanced in her direction. She knew he was confused as to why she was acting so differently, but she couldn't even bring herself to apologize. Her thoughts were completely wrapped up in trying to figure out why her mind kept wandering to Sasuke. She couldn't have feelings for him - that was impossible...she couldn't deny that he was good looking...hot actually but he wasn't even her type.

Hinata's hand reached up to touch the back of her neck, her fingers running over the spot where Sasuke's breath had been. Goosebumps instantly prickled on her skin, sending a shiver down her spine. Dammit.

As Naruto pulled up outside her apartment Hinata almost ran out of the car. She needed to be alone to sort out...whatever this was that was happening to her. She was a Hyuuga after all and did have manner so she paused to thank Naruto before heading inside.

"Thanks for the lovely evening Naruto-kun, I'm sorry I was so distracted...I'm really sorry," Hinata said apologetically. Naruto shook his head and forced a smile.

"Hehe, its fine Hina-chan, just go and get some rest, its fine, believe it!" he said cheerfully but his blue eyes were dark with emotion. Hinata nodded, unable to speak as her throat constricted then turned and headed inside, closing the front door firmly behind her. Hinata kicked off her heels and checked the time on her watch. She only had around twenty minutes before she had to meet Sasuke outside for their date. She had to get her thoughts together before then, she couldn't face Sasuke like this...a confused blushing mess. Hinata shook her head and headed to her bedroom to chose her outfit for her next date.

* * *

Seven o'clock had come and gone, and Hinata wasn't there yet.

She was late.

She wasn't coming.

He had known from he'd seen her all dolled up to go out with Naruto that this was going to happen. What was he even doing here?

Sasuke leaned against his car, his hands stuffed into the pocket of his black jeans, his head tilted back and his gaze focused on the quickly darkening sky above him.

'_Dammit! I knew she wouldn't come...' _he thought. _'I should have just pushed the date to another night. How could I even expect her to come after going out with Naruto? He's like... her idol or something...' _Sasuke groused mentally. He closed his eyes and sighed.

"Hn. Sasuke you freaking idiot..." he muttered out loud before turning to lean his chest against his car. He rested his elbows on the top of the car and put his forehead into his open hands. He knew he was impatient, but she really was late!

And she had been kinda mad at him before she'd left, so obviously she wouldn't limit herself to a two hour date with the man she'd apparently been dreaming of just to go out with _him. _Sasuke groaned softly, dropping his hands to the top of the car and shifting his weight impatiently to his other foot.

Damn.

He clenched his jaw, not willing to give into the disappointment, and... fine, he could admit it... the pain of being stood up by the girl he liked. But he felt it creeping in anyway.

He should just leave. He should just walk inside and shut his door and refuse to talk to her for like a week or so... and then maybe she would realize that what she did _mattered _to him.

He really should just stop waiting for her.

He should, he should, he should. He should go home.

But something kept his feet cemented to the ground.

Something kept him from moving, and when he saw her coming, he couldn't care less what it was that kept him there.

The sound of high heels clattering over concrete interrupted Sasuke's thoughts and immediately hope flared in his chest. He turned around to see, hoping with everything in his being that it was Hinata.

It was.

All his previous disappointments about her not coming fled _instantly_ and suddenly he felt... confident.

"Hey, sorry to be late, I couldn't decide what to wear," Hinata said smiling as she approached, her voice sounding a bit breathy as if she'd been rushing. Sasuke's eyes trailed over Hinata as she came closer. She looked...she looked absolutely beautiful. She was wearing a snug cream sweater with a simple cream top, which was tucked into a pair of floral turquoise shorts patterned with peach and cream flowers. His gaze switched to her legs. They seemed even longer than usual because of her short attire and the pale creaminess of her skin contrasted with her colourful shorts.

Sasuke forced himself to stand his ground.

He wanted to reach out and trail his fingers down her leg.

He wanted to.

But he couldn't.

"You were..." Sasuke began trailing off when he actually noticed how late Hinata had been.

Three minutes. She was three minutes late.

He had been over reacting, but it didn't matter now anyway because she was here. She was actually here.

"Its fine, lets go," Sasuke said, turning to open the passenger door for Hinata. She shrugged lightly before sliding into the seat, unaware of the breath Sasuke drew in as she passed and the scent of her perfume wafted under his nostrils. Sasuke quickly shut the door behind her and walked around to the other side of the car, pausing only to compose himself and then slid behind the steering wheel.

As soon as he entered the car and closed his door he noticed that her scent had already embedded itself in the interior.

Damn.

It was going to be even harder to concentrate now.

Hinata turned to Sasuke as they pulled out of the apartment parking lot, a curious smile on her face.

"So...where are we going?" she asked, her voice breathy. Sasuke was immediately relieved at the distraction and smirked, glancing at Hinata before turning his gaze back to the road.

"That is a secret," he said, his smirk turning into a grin when she pouted.

"But I want to know," she laughed, her grey eyes sparkling in the darkness of the car.

"Hn. You will have to pry it out of me...good luck with that," Sasuke smirked, knowing that Hinata could never succeed. Silence filled the car once Hinata's laughter faded away and Sasuke decided to ask the inevitable question.

"How was your date with the dobe?" he asked, keeping his face stoic even though his stomach was churning. He didn't want to disappoint her with his date. Sasuke watched as Hinata shrugged before forcing a smile.

"It was...it was good," she said, but it seemed more as though she was trying to convince herself.

"Well this one will be more than good, it will be great. You don't think I will let the dobe out do me, do you? I am an Uchiha after all," Sasuke grinned, feeling rather pleased that Hinata wasn't ranting and raving about her date with Naruto.

"If you say so," Hinata laughed, shaking her head slightly.

Noticing that they were close to the destination of their date Sasuke turned to Hinata.

"Close your eyes," he ordered "and don't open them until I tell you to." Hinata gave Sasuke a confused glance,

"What? Why?" she asked, wondering what Sasuke was up to.

"Just do it, when you open them you will get a surprise," Sasuke answered, his tone noticeably softer.

"Okay," Hinata breathed and squeezed her eyes shut, her dark lashes brushing against her pale cheeks. Sasuke felt the base of his throat warm. He wanted to place kissed on her lashes, on her nose, on her slightly flushed cheeks. He wanted to do so many things but he couldn't, not yet anyway.

A few minutes later Sasuke parked the car in the open field beside the fair he was taking Hinata to and slid from behind the wheel to help her out.

"Don't open your eyes," he reminded her, his voice smug with pleasure at knowing something that she didn't.

"But I want to know where I am!" Hinata laughed impatiently, flashing Sasuke a grin as he placed his hand in her and helped her out of the passenger seat. Sasuke closed the car door behind him then turned, gently leading Hinata in the direction of the fair, his hand entwined with her much smaller one. He squeezed her hand slightly, swallowing as they drew closer. He really hoped she liked her surprise...he didn't want to disappoint her, he couldn't bear to.

Sasuke stopped in front of the gates to the fair and let go of Hinata's hand.

"Where are you going?" she asked, a tiny bit of panic creeping into her voice.

"I'm right here," Sasuke breathed from behind her, wrapping his hands gently around her waist. "Open your eyes," he whispered and she immediately obeyed, a gasp parting her lips as she drank in the sight before her.

* * *

Hinata bit her lip as Sasuke led her through an open space. She could feel grass beneath her nude high heeled pumps and sounds of laughter and general chatter of people filled her ears. Where were they? Before she could ask, Sasuke stopped and let go of her hand. A small wave of panic swept over her. Was he going to leave her alone?

"Where are you going?" she heard herself ask but before she could react further she felt Sasuke behind her, his arms around her waist and his warm breath against her neck.

"I'm right here, open your eyes," he whispered and Hinata let her eyes drift open.

She was immediately assaulted by the sight of colourful lights. As her vision tuned in to what was before her a gasp left her lips. They were at a fair. Sasuke had carried her to a fair, he'd remembered that she'd liked them!

Bright multi colored lights glimmered against the velvety black of the night sky, forming ribbons of light as the moved up and down on the various rides. More glittering lights streamed from posts, that seemed to disappear into the sky, and onto the ground below. Hinata inhaled, smells of popcorn, cotton candy, ice cream and various fair food filling her nostrils. A large grin split her face and she turned to face Sasuke, the fact that his arms were still around her waist lost amongst her excitement.

"Sasuke you remembered!" she gasped before throwing her arms around him in an excited hug. Before he could reply she pulled back and grabbed his hand tugging him towards the gate, excited giggles bubbling from her lips.

"Let's go! I can't wait to try everything! I haven't been to one of these in so long!" Hinata chattered and Sasuke smiled, relieved that she was pleased with his surprise.

"Hn," he grunted, pretending to be unenthusiastic.

Sasuke let Hinata pull him through the throngs of laughing and eating people, he even managed to ignore the screams of excited children. Hinata finally stopped at an ice cream stand and reached into her purse to pay for one of the sweet treats. Sasuke instantly noticed what she was doing and placed his hand over hers, effectively halting her motion.

"Don't. I will pay, its a date, isn't it?" he smirked when Hinata nodded wordlessly.

'_He really has changed, but maybe not for the worse,'_ Hinata thought a she watched Sasuke pay for the ice cream. She could still feel the warmth of his hand from where it had rested on top of hers and her cheeks pinked. His hand had been much larger but it was warm and she couldn't deny that it made her feel...safe and maybe something else that she couldn't identify, or didn't want to identify.

Hinata was pulled from her thought when Sasuke returned, handing her an ice cream cone. She smiled when she noticed that it was strawberry, her favourite flavour.

"You remembered this too," she breathed, gesturing to the ice cream. Sasuke smirked and nodded before moving closer to Hinata.

"I did. I remember everything about you," he said, his voice husky with emotion, sending shivers down the Hyuuga's spine. Hinata looked down, her lashes brushing her cheeks.

"I-I w-wouldn't forgive you if you had forgotten anyway," she said playfully, feeling a bit annoyed that he had managed to make her stutter again. Dammit she had grown out of that habit! Or thought she had until he came along.

"Hn, I made you stutter," Sasuke teased, grinning smugly at Hinata. She mock scowled and before he could continue she scooped a up a piece of ice cream from her cone and promptly dabbed it on Sasuke nose. His eyes widened in surprise as the cold substance came into contact with her skin. After realizing just what she'd done he smirked and leaned even closer to her.

"Remove it," he breathed, his breath caressing Hinata's blushing face.

Hinata forced herself to breathe, refusing to faint in front of Sasuke. She knew he was teasing her but it didn't make it any better, especially when he was this close. She could smell his manly scent mixed with cologne and aftershave, but there still the subtle Sasuke scent. A scent that he'd always had.

'_Dammit!'_ Hinata thought when she realized that she was now mulling over her his scent! This was her best friend for Kami's-sake and she loved Naruto...she knew she did so why was Sasuke distracting her so much?

Sasuke made an impatient noise in his throat and Hinata forced herself to focus.

"Fine," she said, too distracted to put up a proper fight. She reached up and wiped the ice cream from Sasuke's nose and was about to wipe it on the napkin wrapped around her cone when he grasped her wrist and raised her palm to his lips.

Hinata gasped when she realized just what Sasuke was doing.

He was licking the ice cream from her hand.

She could feel his warm wet tongue against her palm, sliding over the ice cream and slowly removing it. Hinata's eyes flickered upwards to meet Sasuke's gaze, her breath catching in her throat when she noticed the intensity in his dark eyes. She quickly pulled away her hand and forced an overly cheerful laugh.

"Sasuke, what do you think you are doing?!" She asked, pretending to be utterly angry. He smirked smugly at her, looking rather self satisfied.

"Hn. I am sure you know the answer to that." Hinata shook her head and turned, walking off to find some other thing to distract her. She couldn't stay so close to Sasuke and keep her composure...not when he was being like this.

Sasuke and Hinata wandered around for a few more minutes, the latter blushing profusely when a few elderly people commented on how lovely a couple they were.

Hinata was immensely relieved for the distraction when a familiar stall caught her eye. It was filled with colourful rings and stuffed toys.

"Sasuke, do you remember that?" she asked, tilting her head upwards.

"Hn," Sasuke grunted, but the corner of his lips twitched upwards in a smile. Hinata grinned deviously. She was going to get her revenge on Sasuke for making her so distracted the entire evening. She knew that he knew he was distracting her because of the way his eyes glittered every time she was reduced to blushes.

"Can I have the stuffed panda?" Hinata asked innocently, knowing that Sasuke hated stuffed toys and hated the game which required one to throw the rings over small posts in order to win a certain plushie.

"I'm not going to partake in such an un-Uchiha game," Sasuke said stoically, trying not to give in to Hinata's large grey eyes.

"Please?" Hinata tried again but the Uchiha was determined not to give in. It was time to pull out the big guns.

"Unless you are afraid you will lose...Naruto-kun would-" Hinata was constantly interrupted by Sasuke, who had his jaw clenched at the mention of his blonde friend.

"Fine. I'll do it," he said before stalking off towards the stall.

* * *

A few minutes later, Hinata grinned happily as she hugged her new stuffed panda to her chest.

"Thank you Sasuke," she said softly and the Uchiha grunted, trying to pretend as though he was angry that he'd actually had to partake in such an un-Uchiha like action. Hinata giggled at Sasuke's reaction, her smile widening when she noticed a carousel. She hadn't been on one of those in over ten years.

"Let's go on this!" she said excitedly, her excitement completely uncharacteristic, she couldn't care less however.

"No," Sasuke said bluntly, refusing to go on that spinning thing. He hated carousels.

"Please?" Hinata asked and the Uchiha smirked as an idea formed in his mind.

"Only if you will let me sit on the same horse as you and let me pick the next ride."

"F-Fine," Hinata consented, her stutter returning as the image of Sasuke behind her on the carousel horse filled her mind. Sasuke smirked at Hinata and grasped her wrist, pulling her towards the carousel. After purchasing a ticket he helped her up onto the plastic horse and sat behind her, his arms wrapped snuggly around her waist.

Hinata swallowed as her cheeks and neck heated. Sasuke's arms were wrapped securely around her waist and his hands rested on either one of her thighs, sending tingles shooting up and down her legs. He leaned forward pressing her chin into the crook of her neck. He was close, almost too close for her to function. For the first time in her life Hinata couldn't wait to get off of a carousel.

* * *

Sasuke smirked as he pulled Hinata towards the ferris wheel, it was time for the final stage of his plan. He knew Hinata was terrified of heights, which meant she would have no choice but to stay...well...extremely close to him during the ride. After being on the carousel with her, he decided that there was no way he was going to let the night end without him being close to her. He found himself craving the feel of her smooth porcelain skin against his, and having her shiver beneath his touch.

"This is the last one," Sasuke said as he stopped in front of the ferris wheel. Hinata's eyes widened and she turned to look at Sasuke, horror evident in her grey eyes.

"I can't go on that!" she exclaimed.

"Hn. I will be with you, so you won't have to be afraid of the height," Sasuke replied, reaching for Hinata's hand.

"But-" she began and he silenced her with a look. Soon they were seated in one of the compartments attached to the ferris wheel, and just as Sasuke had predicted, Hinata squashed herself in the furthest corner while clinging to his arm. The ferris wheel gave a jolt and started moving, resulting in a squeak from Hinata.

"S-Sasuke, I-I'm going to kill you!" Hinata hissed as tremors ran down her arms. Sasuke just smirked and wrapped his arms around her, hugging her closer.

"Hn, just relax Hinata," he said quietly, placing his hand over hers until the her violent shivers calmed.

"Look," Sasuke commanded as the ferris wheel rose higher. Hinata shook her head, refusing to look up from her spot on at the bottom of the compartment. "Just try," Sasuke continued, his tone noticeably gentler and he squeezed Hinata's hand tighter. She slowly raised her head looking out the window of the carriage.

"Wow!" Hinata breathed as the glittering night view of Konoha came into view. "This...this is so beautiful Sasuke!" she exclaimed, momentarily forgetting her fear of heights and turned to face Sasuke. "Its just...I wish I had done this before."

Sasuke smirked, it was official. He had trumped Naruto's date by leaps and bounds. He watched Hinata's enraptured expression as she took in the view. A soft breeze blew through the compartment and ruffled Hinata's hair, effectively exposing the skin of her pale neck. Sasuke swallowed as a familiar heat flared in his gut. She was so close. It would be so easy to lean forward and place a kiss on her neck, right on the exposed spot which he knew would be tender and sensitive. Ever since he'd acted upon impulse and licked her palm earlier he couldn't get the taste of her skin out of his mind. He knew it was something he wanted to again. Sasuke didn't have time to decided whether or not to act upon his thoughts because the ferris wheel came to a halt and one of the staff ordered them to get out.

Sasuke unwrapped his arms from around Hinata and helped her out of the compartment, feeling rather relieved to put some space between them. He knew he wouldn't be able to keep his composure for much longer if the ride had continued. Hinata cleared her throat softly and looked up at Sasuke.

"I-It was r-really lovely, Sasuke...this date I mean..." Hinata rambled, her childhood stutter and inability to explain herself returning.

"Hn," Sasuke replied, unable to give any other answer because his throat was constricted from Hinata's appearance. The light from the ferris wheel enveloped her frame and cast an almost ethereal glow around her. Her hair was slightly windswept and her cheeks were flushed with excitement and maybe something else.

'_Damn I can't do this,'_ Sasuke thought before leaning forward and pulling Hinata towards him. He was about to place a needy kiss on her lips when a voice he hadn't heard in years cut through the night.

"Hinata, I need to speak with you." It was Hiashi.

* * *

**AN: Tanaaaa here is the next chapter! TT^TT I am so tired and sick, but I hope you enjoy! I have to go to bed now, I have work in the morning desuu TT^TT please forgive me for taking so long to update. Thank You to my wonderful bestie Tay for beta-ing most of this and of course sharing her account with me. Feel free to suggest titles for the next step of Sasuke's contingency plan! :D R&R**


	4. Do Not Lose Her

**AN: Thankyou for the response to the last chapter! Shout out to Eclipse for the review, it really inspired me to keep going! :D Thankyou to everyone else again! Now enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 4: Step 4 - Do Not Lose Her**

Hinata's eyes widened in surprise when she heard her father's voice. What was he doing at the fair? She whirled round, a gasp catching in her throat when she actually laid eyes on her grim-faced father. She stepped back from Sasuke, putting distance in between them when she saw her father's eyes focus on their proximity.

"Otou-sama," Hinata said respectfully, bending at the waist for a short bow. "What do you wish to speak to me about?" she asked, her forehead creased into a frown. Hiashi sent Sasuke an icy glance before switching his gaze back to Hinata.

"That cannot be discussed here. Return with me immediately," he said, his voice just as hard and disproving as usual. Which of course sent Hinata's heart racing in her chest, as if usually did whenever she had to spend prolonged periods of time with her father.

"Y-Yes, Father," she stuttered, turning to give Sasuke an apologetic glance. Suddenly, the fair had lost all its charm. The lights no longer excited her. The smell made her stomach upset. And the laughter surrounding her was bordering on mocking. If the look on Sasuke's face was any indication, he felt the same way. He frowned, his dark eyes stormy with emotion.

"You are leaving?" Sasuke asked and Hinata cringed inwardly at the accusation in his voice. She hated to leave the date like this but she had no choice but to obey her father...it was just how things worked in her family. She didn't have choices. She never did.

"I-I'm sorry Sasuke, b-but I have to go..." Hinata trailed, chewing nervously on her bottom lip. Hiashi's frown deepened and he stepped closer to Hinata.

"Hinata stop this foolish stuttering and let us depart. This Uchiha scum is of no consequence to us." Hinata's hands immediately began to tremble when her father stepped closer and something inside of her sank when she noticed the expression on Sasuke's face. But she couldn't stay.

"I-I'm s-sorry S-Sasuke..." Hinata whispered before turning and heading back to the parking lot, her father behind her. As she walked away she could feel Sasuke's eyes boring into her back, but she forced herself not to look back. She couldn't handle seeing the hurt and anger that splayed across his face.

* * *

Hinata sat in back of her father's silver chauffeured Mercedes Benz F800, wringing her hands nervously. Her father hadn't said a word to her since they had gotten into the car and that had been over twenty minutes ago. Gathering her courage Hinata swallowed the lump in her throat, hating how she felt like a useless child in front of her father.

"W-Where are we going Otou-sama?" Hinata asked respectfully, her voice low and soft. Her father hated when she spoke above a certain level. For a few minutes Hiashi was silent and Hinata began to think that she'd offended him.

"I-I a-apologize f-for m-my insolence father," Hinata whispered, her gaze focused on the floor of the car. She didn't dare look up.

"Hn," Hiashi grunted in reply, his face as hard and cold as stone. Hinata felt as though she'd been struck and sat back in her seat, her hands trembling violently. She hated how weak she felt, she hated that she couldn't stand up to her father but there wasn't much she could do about it.

The car pulled up at the Hyuuga mansion and immediately servants opened the doors for Hinata and Hiashi, bowing respectfully to both. Hinata nodded to them, not daring to thank them in her father's presence and followed him into the house and to his study.

When they entered the study Hiashi promptly closed the door behind them and motioned to the seat infront of his large oak desk.

"Sit," he ordered Hinata, his voice tight, leaving no room for debate. Hinata obeyed and slid into the straight back chair, her gaze focused on the desk before her.

'_I'm so sorry Sasuke,'_ Hinata thought, knowing that she had hurt Sasuke by leaving with her father without so much as an attempt to try and stay for the rest of the date.

"I will get straight to the point Hinata," Hiashi said sternly, his grey eyes stoic chips of ice.

"Y-Yes father," Hinata mumbled, nodding her head meekly. Hiashi sat back in his chair, hands clasped on the desk in front of him as he observed Hinata with slightly narrowed eyes.

"It is time for your to find a husband and get married Hinata. Your independent ways have been marring the clan's image and it is now time you face the responsibility of being the Hyuuga heir."

Hinata's brain struggled to catch up with her father's words for a moment. She couldn't believe he was saying this.

"I-I, I am not ready for marriage father..." Hinata stuttered frantically, her heart beating a racket in her chest. Hiashi's lips thinned and he leaned forward slightly, eyes hard with determination.

"You don't have a choice, Hinata, it is something you must do. You have already failed both me and the clan so much, so just obey for once. You have six months to find a suitable husband or I will arrange a marriage for you."

A gasp escaped Hinata's lips as she clutched her trembling hands together. She wanted to scream so badly and tell her father that she was twenty one now and could make her own choices; but it never happened. She could never find the courage to do it. When Hinata didn't move from her seat in front of Hiashi's desk he waved his hand dismissively.

"That is all. You are dismissed." Hinata nodded politely and got up from her seat, bowing respectfully before rushing out of her father's office. Her throat was constricted, her hands were clammy and trembling, her heart sped faster than time. Hinata didn't stop running until she was out the gates of her old home, she didn't even stop to refuse the offers of the servants to drive her home. She couldn't spend even one more moment in the suffucating presence of the Hyuuga mansion. She couldn't stay there and be reminded of all her failures, she'd grown up, matured and gotten over her lack of confidence...when she wasn't in front of her father.

Hinata paused on the sidewalk to slip off her heels, rubbing her aching feet. She ran her hand through her long dark hair, biting down on her lower lips as her vision blurred with frustrated tears. Hinata slapped her palm against the rough concrete of the sidewalk.

"Dammit!" she bit out, her hands curled into fists. Why hadn't she been able to stand up to her father? She thought she'd changed more but apparently she hadn't. Hinata forced herself to her feet, swiping away the few tears that had escaped with the back of her hand. She refused to let Sasuke see her like this when she returned home, where she knew he would be waiting for her.

* * *

Sasuke paced the floor of Hinata's living room. He'd let himself in, as per usual and had decided to wait until she returned but it had been a while now. He wasn't sure how long but he knew it was a while. Bitter bile rose up in his throat when he thought of Hiashi treated Hinata at the fair. He should have stopped her from leaving, no good ever happened when she spent time with her father. A part of him felt angry at her for not fighting but he knew she wouldn't and he couldn't hold it against her.

Sasuke clenched his jaw, stifling the urge to break something.

"Dammit!" he yelled in frustration. He had planned the perfect date and she'd been so happy...the happiest he'd seen her since he'd returned, and then her father had to turn up and ruin it. If thoughts could kill Hiashi would currently be nothing but dust.

The front door of Hinata's apartment swung open and Sasuke whirled around, his anger and frustration instantly dying when he saw Hinata. Her hair was ruffled and messy and she was barefooted, her shoes dangled from one of her hands. A long sharp ache stabbed Sasuke's chest when his eyes flickered upwards to her face and he saw the tear stained weariness there. He stepped towards Hinata, wordlessly putting his arms around her and leading her to the sofa.

Sasuke gently removed Hinata's shoes from her limp hands and removed removed her sweater before diligently stroking his hand through her hair.

'_What happened? What did Hiashi do to her?'_ Sasuke thought as he watched Hinata struggle to come out of her daze as she lay against his chest. She took a deep breath and looked up at Sasuke.

"I-I'm sorry about what happened at the fair. I didn't mean to ruin our date...I just...I couldn't stand up to my father. I thought I was stronger than that but apparently I haven't changed as much as I thought I did." Sasuke frowned at Hinata's words, he hated when this side of her came out. She didn't deserve to feel such self deprecation.

"Stop it," Sasuke grunted, his voice husky with emotion. "Don't try to apologize, I know how your father is and there isn't much you can do by yourself. He doesn't even give you a chance!" Hinata shifted against Sasuke chest, her grey eyes tired and worn.

"So you aren't angry at me?" she asked quietly, her eyes instantly averting when Sasuke's own hardened. How could she think he was angry with her? Didn't she realize he loved her too much for that to happen?

Sasuke closed his eyes, drawing in a deep breath in an attempt to calm himself. Hinata needed him and he couldn't let her down.

"Of course not. You didn't do anything wrong...I just...I didn't want you to leave," Sasuke mumbled hugging Hinata closer to him.

"I-I'm sorry...I just, my father he..." Hinata trailed, hating how weak she sounded in front of Sasuke.

"I know," Sasuke answered, halting her progress before she could venture any further down that path. "What did he want to speak to you about?" Hinata's eyes widened at Sasuke's question and she sat up, sliding over to the other side of the sofa.

'_Did I do something wrong?'_ Sasuke thought anxiously when Hinata slid to the furthest end of the sofa. A sharp pain stabbed at his heart when the thought that she just didn't want to be close to him crossed his mind. Did she despise his attentions that much? Or did she still only think of him as a friend?

"H-He said I have six months to find someone to get married to or he will arrange a union for me," Hinata said quietly, her soft words cutting through the confusion of Sasuke's thoughts.

For one horrible moment Sasuke felt as though he couldn't breathe. Then a wave of desperation crashed over him, freeing him from the paralyzing numbness. He was going to lose her. Lose her to someone else that didn't even love her.

"You cannot do it," Sasuke bit out, his voice much harsher than he intended. Hinata shrunk backwards, a tiny bit of fear flashing through her grey eyes at his tone.

'_Dammit, now I scared her. What are you doing? Get a grip!'_ Sasuke yelled inwardly and forced himself to focus, he had to work through this, he couldn't lose her.

"I meant...I don't want you to get married," Sasuke said stoically, trying to hide how much the news was affecting him inside. She couldn't. She couldn't get married. Not now that he'd just come back and barely had a chance with her. Barely gotten her to look at him. He had hardly even begun to show her how he felt, and now she was going to be made unavailable to him?

Hinata's eyes hardened and she leaned forward a bit.

"Why? Do you think I'm not ready? Or maybe you think I am too weak?" she bit out, tired of trying to figure out why Sasuke was acting so possessive. "I am going to ask Naruto what he thinks about marriage..." Hinata continued, her voice softening and her eyes losing its hardness.

Sasuke felt a desperate heat rise in his gut. She was going to ask Naruto about marriage? It couldn't get any worse! He couldn't breathe again; all he could see was Hinata in a wedding dress, wrapped in Naruto's arms. Before he even registered what he was doing Sasuke reached out and grabbed Hinata by the wrist, pulling her towards him.

His mind reeled, scrambling to come up with a way to buy more time with her. Six months was way too short. Especially for a girl like Hinata that wasn't like the usual flighty girls. He couldn't rush things with her. He couldn't move at a reckless speed. She was far too important for that, so he needed time.

"No. I refuse to lose you...I will get engaged to you, it can be in words only, just to throw off your father but I can't lose you yet...I just can't," Sasuke choked out, his usually smooth voice cracking in places due to emotion.

Desperation.

His fingers dug desperately into Hinata's arms, his eyes searching her hungrily. A gasp escaped her lips and she licked her dry lips nervously, her eyes filled with confusion.

Sasuke's stomach clenched when Hinata didn't reply. Did she … Did she hear him for offering to marry her? Or did she find the thought of being bound to him repulsive? Was he not good enough for her yet? Sasuke clenched his jaw, letting his head fall onto Hinata's shoulder as he squeezed her closer to him. He could feel her body trembling beneath him, her voluptuous breasts brushing against him as her chest rose and fell rapidly to the beat of her racing heart. A lump formed in Sasuke's throat as her scent filled his nostrils and the tender skin of her neck brushed against his lips. His control was crumbling...and fast.

"I-I...S-Sasuke I d-don't know if...I mean I love Naruto-"

Sasuke felt his control crumble completely when Hinata mentioned Naruto's name. How could she be thinking about him at a time like this? Was he that unworthy of her? How could the dobe outshine him so much that she would think of him now. Now when he was feeling the way he did. Could she not reckon with his emotions? He knew he never normally showed them, and this was the reason why.

Sasuke hated being rejected. He hated feeling unworthy.

"Hinata..." he whispered before pressing his lips to her neck. "What if he doesn't feel the same? Will you see me then?" he asked, lips brushing against the smooth skin of her throat. He couldn't look in her eyes as he spoke. His heart squeezed painfully in his chest, beating faster than it normally did, and Sasuke knew that he was on the brink of panic. If she didn't accept him...

He had to get her to accept him.

And that was the thought that had him opening his mouth against her neck, sucking at the tender flesh, and feeling his heart race from the feeling of her skin against his tongue. That was the thought that had one of his hands sliding down her back, stopping at the center while the other reached up to cup the back of her head. That was the thought that had him pushing her into the softness of the sofa and leaning into her.

He needed her to accept him.

It was that notion, that goal, that made him need to explain, but the fear of rejection from her had the words choking off in his throat.

He forced them out, knowing he would hate himself if he didn't try everything.

"I can't...I can't lose you...you are all I have now, please..." Sasuke breathed between kisses as he made a path up her neck and onto her jaw bone.

If he could only get her to be attracted to him. If she was even half as attracted to him as he was to her, he would have a chance. If he could just get her to want him, even a little.

He dropped his head back onto her shoulders, sliding down the shoulder of her cream top slightly, his lips sucking at her pale flesh desperately. What if she didn't want this? He should probably stop, but Sasuke wasn't sure if it was the desperation, the panic, or the fact that he'd dreamed about this for far too long that made it impossible for him to pull away. He needed more. Sasuke nuzzled her skin, drinking in her scent like a man starved, conscious of the nagging feeling in his mind that if she took this seriously, if she tried to find a man to marry within six months but would not consider him as a candidate, he might never get an opportunity like this one again. Hinata shifted beneath him, pressing her hands against his chest as her back arched with pleasure and a soft moan escaped her lips, but she forced herself to speak.

"S-Sasuke stop..please...I-I need to think," Hinata gasped, her voice wavering tearfully. Sasuke felt as though someone had struck him. Did she dislike him to the point where she couldn't enjoy his kissing her? He thought he had heard her moan, but maybe he was just tricking himself because he was so desperate. Maybe it was his imagination.

Sasuke pulled back when he heard Hinata's plea, his heart twisting guiltily even as he felt satisfaction sweep through him when he saw her disheveled appearance. Her lips were red from where she'd bit down on them and her blouse and bra strap hung down to the side revealing the red marks he'd made on her shoulder and neck.

What had he done?

"I'm sorry...I just...the thought of losing you..." Sasuke trailed, trying to gather his thoughts enough to explain himself. Hinata shook her head in reply, tears spilling over onto her cheeks.

"I-It wasn't bad, but I love N-Naruto-kun...Why do I feel so conflicted then? And why would you get engaged to me? You don't have to save me Sasuke, y-you aren't obligated to," the brunette whispered, her grey eyes pools of confusion and sadness. Something inside Sasuke snapped when he saw the look in her eyes and a part of him filled with hope. She had said it wasn't bad...which meant she didn't find his kisses repulsive...but he wished she'd stop mentioning Naruto.

'_I will erase him from her mind, I can't lose her...'_ Sasuke thought then leaned forward, inches away from Hinata's lips. He had to tell her. Maybe if he told her, she would understand. Maybe if he told her, he would have a chance, and she'd consider him.

"Because I love you," he whispered before desperately closing the small space between them, hungrily crashing his lips to hers.

* * *

**AN: Another cliffy! hehehehehe :p don't kill me please! lmao :p R&R I love getting feedback from my readers. If you have anything you may want to see in the story let me know :D**


End file.
